What is a grade stake?

• A. A stake used to mark property boundaries.
• B. A stake used to anchor temporary drainage.
• C. A stake that marks target elevation and location for grading along the alignment.
• D. A stake indicating soil type.

Answer: (C)

Grade stakes indicate the target finished elevation and where that elevation applies along the project alignment. They’re placed at specific stations and show the height the ground should reach at that point, giving the crew a precise reference for cutting or filling to match the design. With the grade stake, surveyors and operators can control the surface shape, ensuring the road or site meets the specified grades and drainage needs. This is different from stakes that mark property boundaries, temporary drainage features, or soil types, which serve other purposes and don’t provide the finished-grade elevation for the alignment. So the grade stake’s purpose is to guide earthwork to the exact elevation at that location along the alignment.